Misery Loves Company
by Feral Phoenix
Summary: Sometimes the only way to deal with your insufferable best friend is to be insufferable right back. — Garlot, Jenon; drabble. for Mini.


Misery Loves Company

DISCLAIMER: Blaze Union © Sting. This is for Mini! Happy birthday!

There was nowhere to run today.

It had been sheer luck that the last time Gram Blaze had a day off, a tourney happened to be running in Flarewerk all afternoon. For all his poor management skills, the Emperor apparently didn't waste his time throwing them every other day or even every week.

For once, the chores were all done, and there were still hours to go before the group drills they always held before dinner. Mizer was taking care of hanging the last load of laundry, Byff was firmly entrenched in the library, and Nessiah was asleep—no one was quite ballsy enough to wake him up for something like this.

As for Leon? Well, he was in charge of looking after the base in their absence. It had been Medoute's suggestion, and everyone else had agreed with her.

So Garlot was stuck. He didn't have any legitimate reason not to go with Jenon and the girls on their shopping trip.

…At least, no reason other than "I don't feel like carrying bags", and if he actually said that to Siskier's face she'd yell at him, then stay mad all day.

He thought he'd seen hope when Medoute and Zilva had gone off to look at weapons, but as he'd tried to sidle off after them, Jenon had slung an arm around his shoulders and hauled him in the direction of the fashion vendor that Siskier and the twins were oohing and ahhing over.

"Why do you have to drag me along to these things?" he grumbled, keeping his voice down so that only Jenon could hear him. "I know you just want to get a girlfriend, but if that's it, then why would you want any competition in the first place?"

Jenon just grinned. "Maybe I just wanna punish you a little for being so ridiculously popular with all the girls yet being so completely thick about it. Or maybe I want to know more about how you do it."

This was giving him a headache, and Garlot told Jenon so flatly. "And you make no sense at all sometimes," he added irritably.

"It doesn't hurt to play along with them sometimes, does it?"

"Yes it does hurt. _It hurts my arms, _and don't you dare start on how swinging a spear around ought to give me enough muscle to handle a couple of shopping bags. These things weigh much more, everywhere they stop I get a new one, and I'm going to be carrying them all damn day."

"Hey, you guys!" That was Siskier's voice, and so Garlot and Jenon both looked over at her. She was holding a dress in each hand—one light green, and one pink. "Which one do you like? I can't pick." And she held up first one, then the other.

Garlot shrugged one shoulder. "They both look fine to _me._ If you can't pick, why don't you buy both of 'em then?"

Siskier stuck her tongue out at him, but the gesture didn't seem to hold any overt malice, so he breathed an inward sigh of relief as she turned towards Jenon instead. "What do _you_ think, Jenon?"

Jenon scratched his chin and pondered as Siskier flounced the dresses in front of her. "Hmm. They both flatter you, but I think the pink one looks a little bit better." He then shot Garlot a superior look, as if to say that only a real deadbeat would come along on a shopping trip and not join in the fun.

"Bad move," Garlot remarked in an undertone.

"Huh?" But the next second, Siskier's brow furrowed; behind her, Luciana and Aegina were giggling and Eater was grinning wickedly.

"You're just saying that 'cause this one's skirt is shorter and the chest is lower, aren't you? You just don't wanna lose your perfect view, do you? Don't be a creep, Jenon!"

"Offering your opinion is _always_ a bad idea. Especially when they all know you're only here to flirt," Garlot went on, not bothering to hide his amusement. "They won't mistake you for one of them, man. You're a little too lacking in the chest department and way too excitable downstairs."

Siskier, who had been paying for the green dress, came up and thrust the bag at Jenon. "You carry this one," she said, and then waved to the other girls. "C'mon, let's go look at more scarves!"

"Scarves _again?_ Haven't you already cleaned out half the town?"

"No I haven't! And if I have, then we'll just go down to Albelt and see what _they_ have! C'mon!" Giggling, she and the others made their way down the street.

Jenon turned to Garlot with a pitiful _why-me_ look on his face. It failed to inspire any pity whatsoever.

"Well, c'mon. Doesn't hurt to play along sometimes, right?"

"You suck."

Garlot just smirked at him, and hoisting up the bags, made to follow after the girls. The more quietly they obeyed, the sooner this would be over with, after all.


End file.
